Work starts on first £1m apartments in Leeds

Priestley Homes is transforming the eight-storey building on Great George Street, close to Leeds General Infirmary, with a £37m makeover.

Four of the apartments will surpass the £1m for the first time in the city. The development is intended to represent a new era of luxury urban living for Leeds.

While suburbs such as Horsforth and Roundhay contain multi-million-pound properties, the city centre itself has been lacking high-end homes.

The renovation will maintain the building’s original features, combining them with designer fixtures and fittings. The building will also include underfloor heating and the latest smart home technologies.

Eight of the apartments will have private outdoor space, a luxury for city centre living that Priestley Homes said reflects buyer demands. In addition, all residents will have access to a communal roof-top garden that will be housed in a new-build, three-storey extension.

Priestley Homes has previous experience transforming grade-II listed buildings, creating 153 modern apartments at Bradford’s Conditioning House, the penthouse of which became the most expensive flat in Bradford when it was sold.

Nathan Priestley, chief executive of the Priestley Group, said: “As a Leeds-based business, we’re passionate about investing in the city and creating breath-taking homes that can rival those even in London.

"Leeds is a Northern powerhouse and the UK’s fastest-growing city - with so much investment coming in, it’s time the city centre living represents that.

We’re experts in the regeneration of heritage buildings, so to be able to transform one of the grandest buildings in Leeds and breathe new life into it is a real honour.”

Investment in Leeds has risen in recent years, with Channel 4 opening new offices and the National Infrastructure Commission planning to open its first offices outside of London in the city.

They join ASDA, BT, First Direct and Sky, who already have bases in the city.

Great George Street is situated in the centre, close to the main shopping district and the restaurants and bars, and a 10-minute walk to Leeds station.